I love Big Lots. It’s my primary source for Tom’s of Maine Cinnamint toothpaste, blue nail polish on deep discount, Dinosaur Soap (which we now have enough of a supply to last until we grow out of dinosaurs and into Legos), the random DeCecco product, and whatever else looks good.

I believe my husband likes Big Lots because he has this conspiracy theory about how the dental establishment is forcing out firm-bristled toothbrushes, and his hobby is scouring odd lots stores for the firmest bristled toothbrushes he can find.

Your experience is certainly valuable as a cautionary tale — but it’s hard to argue with the competing facts of my husband’s experience. He not only has no enamel problems after decades of firm brushes, he only got his first few (relatively minor) cavities in his late 30s. I suppose it flummoxes our dentist that firm bristles and unfluoridated water would yield such results (our dentist favors soft bristles and fluoridated water), but there you have it.
The other common argument against firm bristles is that they may cause gum recession — but my husband also doesn’t have problems in that area, either.